


feet planted, fists raised

by karmicpunishment



Series: Stranger Things Drabbles [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Basically: The Scoop Troop takes self-defense lessons, Blood and Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, In this house we love and appreciate Dustin Henderson, Minor Injuries, Multi, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Non-Consensual Drug Use, PTSD, References to Drugs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21654259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karmicpunishment/pseuds/karmicpunishment
Summary: Basically: Scoop Troop takes self defense lessons
Relationships: Claudia Henderson & Dustin Henderson, Dustin Henderson & The Party, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson & Erica Sinclair, Scoops Troop & Scoops Troop (Stranger Things), Steve Harrington & The Party
Series: Stranger Things Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561114
Kudos: 26





	feet planted, fists raised

It was one month after the Star Court “Incident” that the so called “Scoop Troop” found themselves at the studio. Dustin was the first one to. He found the flyer, a muted blue amidst the colorful adverts plastered throughout the quickly revived downtown area. The advert had caught his eye during a visit to Mrs.Byers at her job, a quick quest to gather snacks before a movie night. Almost unknowingly, Dustin slipped the paper off the pole and stuffed it in his pocket. It didn’t cross his mind again until a few days later.

Dustin was getting used to waking up screaming. Used to the feeling of cold sweat, shaky limbs, and panicked breaths. He had figured out ways to limit the nightmares and their fallout about a week after the incident. He used the remnants of his allowance to buy soundproof foam for his door, cause he really didn't want to wake up his mom. She didn’t deserve that. He figured out, through some trial and error, some factors in his night terrors. If the lights were on he was 60% less likely to wake up in a cold sweet, but if he did they tended to be worse, the image of the illuminated halls of the Russian base painted on his eyelids. Sleeping without blankets was unbearable. The cold was too familiar to the murky upside down and no blankets left him feeling uncovered and defenseless. Despite the testing, no matter what he did nightmares were an inevitable conclusion the majority of the time. Several nights a week, he would wake up, scream at the base of his throat, and memories of elevator drops and monsters, electricity and the feeling of killing a man. Stabbing the doctor replayed over and over and over until he found himself choking on bile and fighting back tears. He didn’t feel bad per say about it, he’d much rather Robin and Steve be okay than that asshole, but killing someone leaves its mark. (He doesn’t know how Eleven does it). Sometimes it would play out differently than it had. Him and Erica rushing in only to find Robin and Steve dead on the floor. The MindFlayer tearing through El and Mike and Max and Lucas, before turning towards him. The mall collapsing with them inside. Demodogs tearing him apart. The Upside Down trapping him forever, his lungs filled with its toxins. Countless scenarios played out before him, night after night after night. The feeling of helplessness sticking to him like a second skin. But one night, after a night of dead friends and monsters with bloody grins, Dustin found something new. A crumbled up flyer in his pocket. With trembling hands, he unfurled it and read what it said.

?Tired of Feeling Defenseless

?Scared to Walk Alone

No Longer

Come Down to Milestones Dance and Defense studio, for two months of free self-defense lessons

*open to people ages 10-60*

“Huh, Dustin muttered into quiet of his room, Maybe I don’t have to feel helpless”

**Author's Note:**

> look I know I have two stories I haven't updated in months and I'm sorry, but I can't control when inspiration strikes.  
> Let me know what you guys think and who you want to hear from next. I'm leaning towards Robin but I'm not sure.  
> Please give kudos and comment if you want more. I want to try to update this bi-monthly but who knows.


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